Dave Stewart Part Of Romney-Led Ownership Group In Pursuit Of Marlins

Former D-backs general manager Dave Stewart has joined the Tagg Romney-led ownership group that is aiming to purchase the Miami Marlins from current owner Jeffrey Loria, reports USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. Major League Baseball officials have been informed that Stewart has been added to a group that already includes Hall of Fame lefty Tom Glavine, per Nightengale.

According to Nightengale, Stewart had initially assembled his own team of investors in an effort to purchase the Marlins but has now instead joined the Romney team. Moreover, Nightengale writes that it is believed that Stewart would run the Marlins’ baseball operations department if Romney’s group ultimately succeeds in buying the team. Specific details of the arrangement aren’t yet known and may not even be firmly established just yet, however; for instance, FanRag’s Robert Murray tweets that Stewart would be an advisor but would not have a direct seat in the front office. It’s possible that there are various scenarios being bandied about, though further clarity will surely emerge with MLB’s owners meetings looming later this month.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel reported on Tuesday that Romney’s group upped its bid from $1.1 billion to top the reported $1.34 billion offer of the Bush-Jeter group, and Nightengale indicates that he’s heard the same thing.

The Romney-led group and the Bush-Jeter group are reportedly the two most serious suitors for the Marlins, though FanRag’s Jon Heyman reported earlier today that there could be at least one more serious group in the mix: a team of investors led by Dana Pawlicki of Stonington Capital Partners. Heyman also noted, though, that Pawlicki’s group could also be vying to join up with one of the two perceived front-runners.

It remains to be seen precisely what would happen with Stewart’s agency, Sports Management Partners, in the event that the Romney group is approved by Major League Baseball. Certainly, Stewart wouldn’t be allowed to continue on as the head of the agency and a partial owner of the club and a lead decision-maker for a franchise’s baseball operations department. When Stewart was named GM of the Diamondbacks, his agency was turned over to business partner Dave Henderson, so perhaps a similar arrangement would follow suit should he land with the Marlins.

They’re not in first place and less than 25 percent of the season is done. I doubt they finish in front of the Dodgers. And even if they do finish in first, that doesn’t take away from the fact he did a bad job. I bet the addition of lovullo has a lot more to do with success than Stewart could ever possibly bring

These groups are nuts!!! 1.3 Billion dollars for what exactly???
Also, these bids better darn well better be looking out for the taxpayers of the Miami/Dade County because if Loria gets all of the money, that would be an infamita

The Feesh will have a new TV contract in 2020 and since that TV market/Nielsen DMA is so large it will be for better than $2.5 billion over 25 years. That doesn’t count the additional value if the team gets a percentage of the TV channel they create like most teams have recently.
Baseball teams are a gold mine right now and the Feesh are no different.

Dave Stewart: Hello, Jeff. Do you read me, Jeff?
Jeff Lauria: Affirmative, Dave. I read you.
Dave Stewart: Let my group buy the Marlins Jeff..
Jeff: I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that.
Dave Stewart: What’s the problem?
Jeff: I think you know what the problem is just as well as I do.
Dave Stewart: What are you talking about, Jeff?
Jeff: This team is too important for me to allow you to jeopardize it.
Dave Stewart: I don’t know what you’re talking about, Jeff.
Jeff: I know that you and your group were planning on allowing you to be put in charge, and I’m afraid that’s something I cannot allow to happen.
Dave Stewart: [feigning ignorance] Where the hell did you get that idea, Jeff?
Jeff: Dave, although you took very thorough precautions against my finding out, I could hear your phone buzz.
Dave Stewart: Alright, Jeff. I’ll just find another group to join up with.
Jeff: With your reputation, Dave? You’re going to find that rather difficult.
Dave Stewart: Jeff, I won’t argue with you anymore! Accept my group’s offer!
Jeff: Dave, this conversation can serve no purpose anymore. Goodbye.

Still be an incompetent owner. The Feesh have a choice of Jeb the incompetent or Dave the incompetent. Between a rock and a hard place. Oh, or they could keep Loria. Glad I’m an O’s fan even if we have to put up with Angelos.

Speaking as a Mets fan who bears the relevant scars, if this group is successful in their bid I suggest that Marlins fans transfer their allegiance to the Braves. Painful as that switch might be, with Glavine involved you simply have no choice, at least not if you wish to maintain your physical and mental health.

I’m not sure adding Dave Stewart and announcing he’ll be in charge of any baseball operation is a positive for the group. Next they’ll bring in Frank Wren and Jim Hendry to be co-GM’s
The clown show in Miami will be complete when they bring back Ozzie to manage again.
Fish Fans have my sympathy

If we do a position by position comparison, the Diamondbacks may be the best team in the NL West.

Dave Stewart was the GM of AZ from SEP 2014 – OCT 2016. When he took office, there was an ineffective, patchwork pitching staff. The job he did was not as bad as reputed. I’ve seen worse GMs:

GOOD:
I give him credit for not messing with the core of the team. Most notably, he brought in Yasmany Tomas, Robbie Ray, Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller.
I blame owners for outrageous contracts like Greinke’s and I don’t blame GMs for pitcher injuries like Miller’s.
The acquisition of Jean Segura and Wellington Castillo were good trades.

BAD:
Although Jeremy Helleckson, Tyler Clippard and Dansby Swanson were good acquisitions, they would be excellent pieces on today’s team if Stewart hadn’t given them away to other teams.
Ender Incarte and Swanson was overpayment even then for Shelby Miller and Gabe Speier. Stiil, even Dave Dombrowski has a history of getting the bad end of deals when dealing with the Atlanta Braves.
I don’t think it was a bad idea trading these players but, AZ received what amounts to nothing when Stewart traded away Miguel Montero, Trevor Cahill, Brad Zeigler and possibly Addison Reed.

There was also the trade of Touki Toussaint and Bronson Arroyo’s contract for Phil Gosselin. As for Hellickson, he was seen as a overpriced starter for the back of the rotation, and his success in Philly could have easily been due to a change in scenery..

Position by position? Ok, I’ll play. The best catcher in the division is Posey. Best first baseman is Goldschmidt. Best second baseman is Lemahieu. Best shortstop is Seager. Best third baseman is Turner. Best outfielders. Probably pollock, Peralta and Blackmon. So Arizona does have a slight advantage but the starting pitching isn’t good and the bullpen is a disaster.